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What's NewCongressional Briefing on Grand Challenges to Disaster Reduction Congressional Briefing on Levee Protection Congressional Briefing on Disaster Response - Critical Infrastructure and Workforce - Who Will Respond? Congressional Briefing on Flood Maps and Reducing Community Flood Risks Congressional Briefing on Improving Tsunami Warnings Nationwide Congressional Briefing on Earthquakes and Tsunamis
in the Pacific Northwest Congressional Briefing on Drought Congressional Briefing on Hurricane Research Congressional Briefing on the New Madrid Fault Zone Congressional Briefing on Coastal Vulnerabilities Congressional Briefing on Communications Updated Status of Hazards-Related Legislation What's New Archive >>>About the Hazards CaucusThe caucus provides Members with information and education on preparing for, mitigating against and responding to natural disasters and man-made hazards. The caucus provides Members with an opportunity to demonstrate their concern and commitment to reducing hazard losses. The caucus is led by the following co-chairs in the Senate, Senator Ted Stevens (AK), Senator Mary Landrieu (LA), and Senator Ben Nelson (NE) and by four co-chairs in the House, Representative Wayne Gilchrest (MD), Representative Dennis Moore (KS), Representative Jo Bonner (AL) and Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA). A one page summary of the Caucus is available as a pdf document. About the Hazards Caucus AllianceThe primary goal of the Hazards Caucus Alliance is to develop a wider understanding within Congress that reducing the risks and costs of natural disasters, as well as man-made hazards, is a public value. That requires educating Members and staff about the costs of these disasters to their districts and states, and the benefits their constituents will realize through greater efforts to understand, prevent, and mitigate all hazards. The alliance supports the efforts of the caucus, originally established under the leadership of co-chairs Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Senator John Edwards (D-NC) in 2000. A successful caucus reflects a strong partnership between its congressional members and organizations outside Congress that share similar interests. This effort is an outgrowth of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) 2000 forums on public policy issues in natural disaster reduction, a cooperative endeavor of the National Science and Technology Council's Subcommittee on Natural Disaster Reduction, the Institute for Business and Home Safety, and other private sector organizations. Why a Congressional Hazards Caucus?Jurisdiction for hazards programs, both natural and man-made, is spread among many committees in Congress. Each committee only handles a piece of the overall efforts to prevent and mitigate hazards. A caucus can provide the "big picture" to interested lawmakers and their staff, and give them the opportunity to see how the issues that fall within individual committee jurisdictions fit within a larger national effort. Typical caucus events include Capitol Hill luncheon briefings, roundtable discussions, special forums, receptions, and events targeted to a subgroup of the caucus. Events can also be structured so that they also provide a forum for raising the visibility of a hazards-related topic with the media and the public. Shared Objectives
Alliance ParticipantsThe Hazards Caucus Alliance is an information network of professional, scientific, and engineering societies, relief organizations, higher education associations, institutions of higher learning, trade associations, and private companies. The alliance has come together with a common desire to reduce the toll -- both human and financial -- of both natural and man-made hazards and to enhance the nation's ability to recover from those events. We plan to work together to help our nation become more resilient to all hazards. For More InformationThe alliance is currently seeking additional congressional members to join the caucus as well as organizations interested in joining the alliance. Please contact Linda Rowan at the American Geological Institute (703-379-2480, ext. 228; rowan@agiweb.org)
Images in header, from left to right: Flooded homes in Iowa, copyright © Lynn Betts NRCS; Tornado in Dimmit, Texas, 1995, courtesy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake damage, courtesy C. Stover, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Hurricane Floyd, 1999, copyright © NASA, Visible Earth; Wildland Fire, courtesy USGS. These and other images are accessible through the American Geological Institute Earth Science World Image Bank. Contributed by Katie Ackerly and Linda Rowan, AGI Government Affairs Staff; Erin Gleeson, 2007 AGI/AAPG Spring Intern Posted: June 11, 2000; Last updated July 16, 2008 Please send any comments or questions about this web site to Linda Rowan. |